Chitwan, February 20:

The Maoist People’s Liberation Army (PLA) personnel of the Third Division living in cantonment have said they would go out of camps in search of food.

The PLA in the camps organised a press conference in Chitwan today and said it would go out of the camps from tomorrow in search of food.

“We had informed about our problems to the Home Minister on February 2 and to the Prime Minister on February 8, but nothing was done to solve them and now we are forced to go out of the camps to work to earn money for food,” commander of PLA third division, Bibidh said. “Except those guarding the weapons containers and camps, all PLA personnel will go outside the camps,” Bibidh said, adding: “There are some 6,000 PLA personnel under the third division.”

“As much as Rs 12.5 million is required every month to manage ration and other essentials and it requires as much as Rs 15.8 million each PLA soldier is provided with a monthly stipend of Rs 500,” he said, adding that the government has so far provided Rs. 45 million for the PLA third division and its sub-camps so far. Asked if PLA personnel going out of the camps would be a violation of code of conduct, Bibidh said, “If physical infrastructure are constructed at the earliest, the soldiers will not go out.”

“We have informed authorities concerned regarding our decision and this should not be opposed,” Bibidh said adding that his cantonment would need as much as Rs 500 to 600 million to keep the soldiers in the cantonments until mid-June. The PLA third division has been staying at Shaktikhor and Jutpani since November 21.